Pneumatically-controlled trolley.



No. 667.133. Patented 1an. 29, 1901. .1. B. 1.11111.

PNEUMATICALLYl CONTBOLLED TROLLEY (Application filed Nov. 13, 1899.)

1'N0 Model.)

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NITED STATES PATENT FFICE,

JOHN B. LINN, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

PN EU MATlCALLY-CO NTROLLED TROLLEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667 ,133, dated January 29, 1901.

Application led November 13, 1899. Serial No. 736,776. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. LINN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatically- Controlled Trolleys, (Case No. 1,296,) of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to trolleys for electric railways, the object being to render their management more convenient and permit them to be controlled from the platform of the car or from the cab of the electric locomotive and to be raised or lowered with relation to the trolley-wire or reversed in position relatively thereto. It relates particularly to the type of trolleys controlled by duid-pressure.

In carrying out my invention I mount the pressure-cylinder which raises or lowers the trolley with relation to the supply-wire upon or closely adjacent to the base of the trolleypole and mount upon said base'or the walls of the cylinder the controlling-spring which is provided to actuate the trolley-pole in one direction of movement, affording by such a construction a much more convenient assembly of parts than in organizations of this kind heretofore provided, as Well as facilitating repairs. The location of the fluid-pressure cylinder in the position described permits me also to lead the fluid-pressure directly from the controlling-valve inside the car, or at least close to the operators controlling-handle, thereby further simplifying the construction of the parts.

The invention comprises various features of construction, the novelty of which will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the drawings which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a sectional view, on a vertical plane, through the center of the fluid-pressure device, the other parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is an end elevation on a plane at right angles to that indicated in Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on line oc fr, Fig. 2, showing the construction of the controlling-valve and its casing.

1 represents a trolley-pole socketed in a frame 2, journaled in a rotatable base 3. A pneumatic or duid-pressure cylinder forms part of this base and may be formed of a single casting 4, at the open end of which abuts a cylinder-head formed on the end of the polebase. On one end of the cylinder is mounted a rod 5, around which is a helical spring 6, bearing at one end against the end of the cylinder and at the other end against a crosshead 7, held on the rod by two check-nuts 8, forming a fixed stop on the end of the rod. The cross-head is connected by two rods 8a with the sides of the pole-frame, as indicated at 9 9a, and to accommodate the lateral motion when the pole is raised and lowered the openings in the cross-head are dared, as indicated at 10, the ends of the rods being tightened by nuts, as indicated in Fig 1. The piston-rod connects with the cross-head 11, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) which is linked at the sides, as at 12 12a, to the movable pole-frame. Thus when the piston is acted upon by i'luidpressure and shifted rearwardly from the position indicated in Fig. 1 the trolley-pole is lowered and the springs 6 are brought under tension by the movement of the cross-head 7. The piston vis operated only one way by duid-pressure, the return movement being effected by springs, as just set forth. A leak-hole 13 is provided in one end of the cylinder to regulate the speed of movement of the piston. The latter may be packedin any suitable way, that shown comprising a cup-shaped leather washer held firmly against the walls of the cylinder by a plate 14: and nut, as shown. The ports into the cylinder may be formed by coring the casting or by boring, the openings to the atmosphere being afterward plugged. The cylinder is mounted on a base formed of a casting l5, the upper part of which has a machine-face to form a good joint, and the lower part extends through the roof of the locomotive or car and is connected by a gas-tightjoint with the valve-casing 16. An effective way of making this connection comprises a threaded metal pipe 17, screwing into the bottom of the cylinder-casting and into the valve-casing and locked when adjusted by means of pins through the connected parts. The upper part of the valve-casing 17 is recessed, and an air-tight joint is formed with the face-plate 18, with which the fluidsupply pipe 19 communicates by means of a IOO cup-shaped annular washer, of leather, 20. In the valve-casing is mounted a conical valve 2l, into which is screwed an operating-stem, a squared section of which passes through a crank 22. The Valve is drawn snugly into engagement. with its seat in the casing by lneans of a nut 23, locked in position when adjusted by a plate 24E, screwed to the crank. A corresponding crank 22a on the other end of the valve is fastened thereto by means of set-screws, as indicated, and both cranks are pivoted in the biturcated ends oi a controlling-handle journaled in the valve-casing at 25, (see Fig. 1,) the forked ends of which carry lugs 26 26, bearing upon the compressionsprings 27 27, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) which normally shift the controlling-handle to a position where the duid-pressure is cut off from the cylinder. The normal position is indicated in Fig. 1. Then it is desired to lower the trolley for the purpose of reversing or replacing it on the trolley-wire, the handle is depressed until brought against the xed stop indicated in Fig. 1 at 28. This brings springs 27 27 into a state of compression, simultaneously rocks the Valve in its casing, and brings the two ports indicated in Fig. 1 into a position where the chamber 2O communicates, through a chamber 29 in the valve, with the pipe 17, leading to the Huid-pressure cylinder 4. The piston 14 is shifted to the right and the trolley-pole depressed. The entire mechanism, including the handle, valve-casing, cylinder, and trolley-pole, may be then turned to any desired angle by shifting the handle and the trolley replaced on the wire. In electing this result more or less of the pressure medium may be eX- hausted from the cylinder by raising the handle momentarily, thereby shifting the valve and permitting exhaust from the hollow7 plug 30. In this way the trolley may be brought more or less close to the trolley-wire and a rapid connection of the trolley-wheel effected by the motorman.

`What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A trolley for electrically-propelled vehicles, comprisinga pole mounted on a rotatory base on the vehicle-roof, a Huid-pressure device controlling its vertical movement mounted in or near the axis of rotation, and an operating-handle accessible to the motorman for rotating the pole-base, and controlling connection with a uid-pressure-supply pipe.

2. A trolley for electrically-propelled Vehicles comprising a trolley-pole pivoted for movement in a vertical plane, a Huid-pressure cylinder for moving it in one direction mounted close to the pole-base and mechanically connected to the pole-frame, ducts controlling the application of duid-pressure lying wholly within the trolley-support, and a spring for moving the pole in an opposite direction.

3. A trolley for electrically-propelled Vehicles comprising a trolleypole pivoted for movement in a vertical plane, a fluid-pressure cylinder and opposing spring for operating it, a piston mechanically connected to the poleframe, a spring mounted on the cylinder at one end and held in place by a detachable support at the other end.

4. A trolley for electrically-propelled vehicles, comprising a trolley-pole, a fluid-pressu re cylinder for operating it, said cylinder being journaled in the car-roof on a vertical axis, a retracting-spring for its piston, a support for the spring secured at one end to the cylinder and free at its other end, a valve controlling admission of [luid-pressure to the piston, and a handle beneath the car-roof accessible to the motorman for rotating the cylinder and governing its piston.

5. A controlling-valve for a fluid-pressure device, comprising a valve-casing, a rotatory valve governing the supply and exhaust ports, an operating-handle journaled on a part rigid with respect to the casing, and cranks engaging opposite ends of the Valve operated by the handle.

6. A trolley for electrically-propelled vehicles, comprising a trolley-pole, fluid-pressure devices for controlling the same, a rotatory Valve governing the supply and exhaust ports, an operating-lever journaled on a part rigid with respect to the valve-casing, and a crank connection between the handle and both ends of the valve.

7. A trolley for electrically-propelled vehicles, comprising a fiuid-pressure device controlling its movement in a vertical plane, said device being pivoted on a vertical axis on the car-roof, a valve-casing beneath the roof, a pressure-supply pipe leading to the casing and a valve within the casing controlling the application of fluid-pressure.

8. A trolley for electrically-propelled vehicles, comprising a fluid-pressure motor for moving the trolley-pole in a vertical plane mounted on the car-roof, tubular connections to the under side of the car-roof, a valve-casing rotatively connected by an air-tight joint on the under side of the roof, and an operating-handle for raising or lowering or rotating the trolley-pole.

9. A trolley for electrically-propelled vehicles, comprising a trolley-pole pivoted on a horizontal axis, a fluid-pressure cylinder on the car-roof controlling it for movement in a vertical plane, said cylinder being journaled for rotation in a horizontal plane, a face-plate on the under side of the roof communicating with a fluid-pressure reservoir, a valve-@asin g engaging air-tight the face-plate and rigid with the cylinder, and an operating-handle for rotating the cylinder and controlling the fluid-pressure therein.

10. The combination of the rotatory fluidpressure cylinder carrying a trolley-pole, a valve-casing rigid therewith, a fluid-pressure supply pipe communicating with the casing,

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piston linked to the trolley-base, connections between the piston and a spring-pressed crosshead, a rod fixed to the cylinder at one end and free at the other guiding the cross-head, a valve controlling Huid-pressure in the cylinder, and an operating-handle for the valve. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of November, 1899.

JOHN B. LINN. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, MABEL E. JAooBsoN. 

